Can injury-plagued Costa Rica stun mighty Uruguay?

When Heiner Mora was practicing on Tuesday, he started to feel a sharp pain in his foot. Little did he know that the injury to his Achilles tendon would have him out of the World Cup just days before Los Ticos debut against Uruguay at the Arena Castelão in Fortaleza.

What made things worse, he would become the fourth player to be forced off the World Cup squad for the Central American side.

In the meantime Dave Myrie was heading to practice with Herediano to Tamarindo for the club’s pre-season. As soon as he begins training in the afternoon, he is separated from the squad and was then told that he had to leave as he was going to be heading to Santos.

It was a bit ironic as his teammate, Víctor Núñez, was joking around with him telling him that he was ‘Brazil bound’. Little did either one know, the running joke between the two players turned into reality.

Heiner Mora has been ruled out of the tournament (Picture: Getty Images)

With Mora gone Myrie will be looked at to fill the spot left by the Saprissa wing-back. His contributions will most likely be seen in the matches against Italy and England as he is currently getting his legs back from the off-season. Despite a one-month vacation, Myrie was still able to arrive to the national team in good physical condition; but will not be a factor for the match against Uruguay.

Pinto will use his backline of five with two wingbacks giving support on both ends of the pitch. While Celso Borges anchors the middle Yeltsin Tejada as well as Brian Ruíz will be along the sides looking to pressure as well as put pressure on a team like Uruguay that is capable of playing by conceding possession.

The difference for Costa Rica will be the capability of Joel Campbell to be able to gain an advantage in open space. If he is given that by Uruguay’s tough midfield, it could mean a long day for Diego Lugano as well as Diego Godín in the central defense.

That would be the ace in the hole for Jorge Luis Pinto’s men as many in the Costa Rican press are looking at this match as a ‘must-win’ while England is looked at as the match where they ‘could qualify to the next round’.